About the writer

Mary Shelley(30 August 1797 – 1 February 1851) was a British novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer, and travel writer, best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein. She was born in August 1797 to Mary Wollestonecraft, the great feminist, and William Godwin, the political philosopher. Mary’s mother died of puerperal fever eleven days after Mary’s birth and his father, who soon took another wife. Mary thus grew up in this large and ill-assorted family.Mary read much as a child, and was enabled to observe the many famous literary men because her father’s circle. So it’s no surprising that Mary can create her own masterpiece of the genre— partly science fiction, partly romantic and Gothic literature.

Plot summary

The story is told in letters by an adventurous Englishman Walton to his sister. Walton sets out to explore the North Pole and expand his scientific knowledge in hopes of achieving fame and friendship. On the way of his trip, he met the dying Frankenstein. Frankenstein then told Walton his own story.

Victor Frankenstein is raised by a wealthy family and grows up in a safe and loving environment. He has an orphaned sister who he lives together and finally falls in love with. As a young boy, Frankenstein becomes obsessed with studying advanced theories of science focusing on achieving natural wonders. Thus he went to university, studied extremely hard and finally created a monster with gigantic body and fearful appearance. The monster became educated when he watched a family living near the cottage. However, his desire to be loved has been turned down for several times. After he carelessly killed Frankenstein’s brother by asphyxiation and his request to have a female of his same kind was refused by the creator, he start to hate human being and kill another innocent people.

The ending of this sorrowful novel is that Frankenstein died from and the monster committed suicide after his death. They both ended their lives in a deplorable way. And Walton, once an ambitious man, quitted up his journey to the North Pole.

My food for thoughts

“When I placed my head on my pillow, I did not sleep, nor could I be said to think. My imagination, unbidden, possessed and guided me, lifting the successive images that arose in my mind with vividness far beyond the usual bounds of reverie.”

 Mary Shelley awakes in terror, and tries to dispel the horrid vision of Dr. Frankenstein awaking to find the creature standing at his besides. Urged by her husband, Mary finally expands this idea for a ghost story into a long tale. And this tale is called Frankenstein, one of the most famous science fiction in the world and in my opinion, the best one. Mary started to conceive this story in a task suggested by her friend, Lord Byron, who said “We will each write a ghost story.”

 Then this masterpiece came to existence bit by bit. After I have read it, I was totally shocked. What a sorrowful story! It’s not only that monster with yellow, watery eyes and unbelievable strength frightened me but also the monster himself deeply moved me.

Before I read this book, I was totally confused with who Frankenstein really is. I used to regard the monster created by Frankenstein just named Frankenstein. Thus when I start to read this book, I really feel surprised that Frankenstein is the name of the hero. And what makes me more surprised is that I think that so-called monster has something human in deed. His life was given by other people while his love and kindness were stripped away totally for his ill-looking appearance his creator once bestowed to him. Thus a question suddenly occurs to my mind ----- Is the monster a destroyed or a victim? Different from many other people’s viewpoint, he is a victim in some respects.

To begin with, the monster became self-aware and educated by watching the family living near a cottage. He gradually had the desire to love and to be loved. Also he finally could speak very good English by his unremitting efforts. Form this aspect, we can see that the monster is both and studious. But at the same time, he also realized that his appearance is very much different from a natural person. He started to become self-contemptuous but he never hated his creator at this time, for he has love and gratitude to this beautiful world.

What’s more, the monster didn’t mean to kill Frankenstein’s little brother. He was unmeant! He only wanted to make friend with the boy because he think the boy is still young and potentially unaffected by older humans' perception of his hideousness. But what’s much contrary to his expectation, the boy shouted insults, angering the monster. In an attempt to reason with the boy, the monster covered the boy's mouth to silence him and tragically ends up killing the boy by asphyxiation. To be fair, we couldn’t call it a murder, could we?

Also, after went through several accidents including killing a little boy without intension, the monster started to feel regretful and guilty of his bloody hands. This kind of feeling certainly proves that he is kind inherently. He asked Frankenstein to create a female of his kind, and in my opinion, it’s not a much overladen request. Instead, he just wanted to use this method to escape form the world of human being. What’s a woeful decision for a heart once lusted for others’ understanding and love!  

Finally I’d like to extract a poem in Paradise Lost. And I think the feeling this poem trying to express is very much similar to that of the monster’s.

Did I request thee, Maker from my clay

To mould Me man? Did I solicit thee

From darkness to promote me?

John Milton, Paradise Lost (X.743–5)

Each time I read this poem loudly, the despairing and painful feeling of the monster start emerging in my brain and aching in my heart. Maybe it is part of Frankenstein’s fault to create the monster and the monster himself doesn’t want that filthy life at all! In most people’s view, this monster is both ugly and cursed, but I really feel pitiful to him. American president Barack Obama said recently in memory of the fallen miners in West Virginia that ‘we have to learn one another and look out for one another and love one another and pray for one another.’ But suppose if you were the monster. You wanted to find someone to give you care and love but only gained other people’s ill feeling and disfavor, what would be your sensation? President Obama told us to remember those who we love and who love us, but if we haven’t anyone to care at all, what would be the reason for us to live on?

Frankenstein’s monster is also the victim in this tearful story. At last, he sprang from the cabin window and soon borne away by the waves and lost in darkness and distance. I think it’s the true relief for him. May he could find love and care he had desired for in the heaven. Peace to his ashes!